Church of the
Annunciation

Jesus says: “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” “Righteous” living is obedience to God’s law. Jesus says: “I have not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it.” Righteousness entails both fidelity to God and compassion for neighbor. Righteousness can have a negative connotation. A self-righteous person prides him or herself in personal goodness and looks askance at the sin and failures of others. Perhaps a better contemporary word to use is “integrity” i.e. living with integrity. We make say to ourselves that we have not committed murder or adultery but what is in our hearts. Our hearts can be become cauldrons simmering with deadly passions of anger, lust, greed, envy and pride. We may make a good show in public but what about our personal lives. Sending flowers or chocolates on St. Valentine’s Day, without daily tokens of courtship, courtesy and kindness, is a turnoff. We must all confess our lack of righteousness or integrity by acknowledging our deceit and hypocrisy. God reads our hearts. Take comfort though we do not enter the Kingdom of Heaven by our own righteousness or integrity. Entry is always God’s gift and by God’s grace. Certainly we must cooperate with God’s grace and live a good life but we do not merit or gain Heaven by our own effort. When we confess our personal and public sins the Kingdom of Heaven comes to us – God’s mercy and love in Jesus Christ.